A Normal Christmas
by TuRtLe88
Summary: Harry celebrates a normal Christmas (his first normal Christmas) with his friends and family. (One Shot


_Author's Note: It's been a bit since I wrote a fic, but I just felt like writing a little something for Christmas (maybe it's the anticipation of the Doctor Who Christmas special and wanting to write a Christmas special of my own or maybe it's the fact that I'm trying to avoid studying for finals…). This is what came to me. I wrote it over the course of a few hours, and I haven't really looked it over to edit it at all. I apologize for any errors or awkward bits. It should follow canon, as far as I know… It's been a bit since I've read the books. Either way, enjoy the story and happy holidays! And don't forget, reviews are always welcome. Wouldn't that be a wonderful Christmas gift? ;)_

_Disclaimer:__ I don't own Harry Potter or any of that. Please don't sue me._

**December 1998**

Christmas was a subdued affair that year. It would be. After everything that had happened, after all they had lost.

Andromeda let Harry bring Teddy to the Weasley Christmas party. She wasn't really up to celebrating, these days. She'd lost her husband and her only daughter. All she had left was her grandson, and she knew that Harry would make sure the child had a good Christmas. It was best that he grow up as normal as possible.

Harry wondered how everything would go over. While the Weasley family was mostly intact, it was their first major holiday without Fred. George was still not taking things well, but then, it had only been around half a year since he lost his twin. Molly was doing better, and the others were trying their best to be supportive. They had all lost a brother, but George had lost his best friend as well.

Harry and Hermione had been invited to the Weasley family Christmas as usual, and both had accepted. Hermione would have a small celebration with her parents just before the holiday (and she would cart Ron with her), just as soon as she got back from Hogwarts.

Harry was glad for a break from his Auror training. While he spent a lot of it with some of his friends from Hogwarts, it was exhausting. But he would get a break for the holiday, and Ginny would be home from school as well. He was happy to have rekindled his relationship with her, and he suspected Molly Weasley was happy about this development (as well as the relationship between Ron and Hermione) as it meant that he was essentially a part of the family. Harry was more than happy to consider Mrs. Weasley the closest thing to a mother he had.

Harry had gotten a phone call from his cousin Dudley, inviting Harry over for a holiday gathering a few days before Christmas. It would just be Dudley and his girlfriend, and Harry and Ginny. Ginny was looking forward to her first real glimpse into Muggle life (showing that she'd inherited a small part of her father's passion for the world). Harry was just glad to be on better terms with his cousin. After the war, family meant a lot more to him, even if family didn't have to mean blood, it was nice when it did.

Harry was out Christmas shopping before the event. Ginny had just gotten back from Hogwarts and was accompanying him, happy to be out and about in Muggle London (Harry had gotten her presents and his Diagon Alley shopping out of the way before her return).

"So, what are we getting your cousin?" she asked, excitement in her voice.

"I'm not really sure," Harry admitted. "I didn't really get out much when I lived with the Muggles. I don't really know what I'm supposed to get them."

"Well, what did you get for my parents, or like Bill or Charlie? I'm sure you could find a Muggle equivalent," she supplied.

"I got your mum one of the books that she's been hinting at wanting. That really nice, special edition of Charms for the Housewitch. I even got it signed," Harry admitted.

"Oh, she'll raise a fuss since it's so expensive, but she'll love it just the same," Ginny said. "And Dad?"

"I figured I'd get him something while we're out today. Some silly Muggle contraption that he'll moon over and will drive your mum up the wall," Harry replied.

"You're too good at this! You're making me look like a terrible daughter!" Ginny replied. "Hermione too. She told me she was working on her knitting, and knit Mum a sweater so she could match all of us and have a Weasley sweater too!"

"What did you get for her?" Harry asked, having already heard about Hermione's sweater idea from both Ron and the witch herself.

"I haven't bought anything yet. I wanted to get her that self-stirring cauldron because the charm on hers is going wonky, you know, but I don't have the money. I'll probably just end up getting her a recipe book from one of the bookshops in Diagon Alley."

"I could help you with the cauldron," Harry replied. He really had no use for all the money in his Gringotts vault and so he found no happier use for it than doting on the Weasleys who had taken him in all those years ago.

"Oh you don't- That's awfully kind. You really shouldn't." Ginny stammered, her cheeks flushing.

"Come on," Harry nudged her gently. "I've got more than enough, and she's been like a mother to me. It's the least I can do. Especially after the last few years."

"Oh all right," Ginny grumbled. "But I'm paying for our next date then. Don't you dare fight me on this, Harry James Potter."

"It's a deal," Harry grinned. "But that still leaves me with no idea for my cousin."

"I'm getting George and Charlie and Bill each a bottle of Firewhiskey now that I'm of age," Ginny supplied helpfully. "I've no idea what to get Percy though. He probably wouldn't enjoy something like that.

"I could get Dudley a bottle of wine," Harry muttered. "That's pretty standard, I think."

Harry and Ginny arrived at Dudley's flat, both slightly nervous. Harry and Dudley had never really engaged in civil conversation before, and Ginny was relatively unfamiliar with the Muggle world and was hoping that she wouldn't slip up in front of Dudley's very Muggle girlfriend.

It turned out all right, though. The girlfriend was pleasant and polite to Harry, and really seemed to take to the feisty Ginny. And Dudley was on his best behavior, actually being fairly nice to his cousin.

"I would've had Mum invite you to Christmas," Dudley explained to Harry, "and she would've been fine, but Dad would've pitched a fit. And Aunt Marge is going to be there too, and she'd be even worse."

"I don't envy you, spending a Christmas with Marge," Harry admitted. "You remember what happened to her last time I saw her."

"That was hilarious," Dudley replied. "How old were we? Thirteen?"

"Yeah, just about," Harry replied. "I can't remember if I'd turned thirteen then or not, but it was that summer."

"Can you believe that was only five years ago?" Dudley asked.

"No," Harry replied. "Not at all. I was such a kid then. Everything's changed since then." And it had. This was the first truly normal Christmas Harry had had. Every year up until that point, he'd either been at the Dursleys, or battling some unseen evil, or fighting a war. Harry's world was finally at peace, and it was proving to be a huge adjustment for him.

"Yeah I suppose. Especially given your circumstances," Dudley muttered, remembering what little he knew about the conflicts in Harry's life.

"By the way, I have a present for your parents," Harry said. "If you would give it to them for me, that would be brilliant. Otherwise, I'll just send it through the post."

"No, it's fine," Dudley said. "Post can get expensive, and it's especially a hassle around this time of year. What is it?"

"Oh, just some scented candles for Aunt Petunia and some customized golf balls for Uncle Vernon. I tried to go as mundane as possible because I know they like that," Harry replied. Dudley just chuckled.

"Dad'll go mental thinking you've enchanted them or something," Dudley muttered quietly so his girlfriend couldn't hear.

"Well they're not," Harry replied. "I've put them in there. In the packaging and with gift receipts and everything, just in case he's that suspicious. Perfectly normal."

In no time at all, it was properly Christmas, and Harry was at the Burrow, celebrating with the Weasley family (Fleur, Hermione and Teddy included). When the time for opening presents rolled around, everyone was excited.

Aside from the customary sweater that Mrs. Weasley had knit for everyone (the happy and pregnant Fleur immediately donned hers, showing her appreciation for her mother-in-law with this out of character move), Harry had received various spellbooks and items to help him with his Auror training and future career.

But Harry's favorite part was seeing the reactions to the gifts that he'd given. Hermione had gotten a hefty (and expensive) book on magical law, because she was looking into working in the field. She was thoroughly surprised and genuinely happy. For Ron, he'd given some Chudley Cannons memorabilia. For George, he'd given a sizable sum of money and a note that read "Another investment in the shop. Or really, whatever else you want to spend this on." George had given Harry one of the first genuine smiles Harry'd seen on him since May.

"You sure you want to invest in Research and Development, mate?" George joked.

"As long as this buys me out of being a test subject," Harry replied with a smirk.

"Don't worry. I'll test on Ronnie and some paid participants."

"Does that mean I'll get paid?" Ron perked up at the idea of getting paid.

"Of course not, Ronniekins. You'll volunteer willingly and refuse payment because you're family," George replied. Everyone was glad to see him in such good spirits that Molly didn't even admonish him or warn him against anything particularly risky.

When Arthur opened the toolkit Harry had given him, he looked positively exuberant. "What exactly is this Harry?" he asked in excited tones.

"It's a Muggle toolkit. I figured this way you could tinker with your Muggle gadgets in the Muggle way," Harry replied.

"Oh don't encourage him!" Molly exclaimed good-naturedly.

"Honestly, Molly, it's probably safer," Hermione said. "Using magic on Muggle gadgetry is a bit dangerous, but if he's using the Muggle tools and not magic, it'll be a bit safer."

Finally, the time came for Molly to open her presents. There was a small mountain of them sitting in front of her. "Oh, you lot. You really shouldn't have!" she exclaimed upon seeing it. "I don't need anything. Just having you all here is enough for me." She was already tearing up, happy that the vast majority of her family had survived the previous year to have another Christmas with her. Harry knew that by the end of opening the variety of generous things her children had gotten for her, she would be sobbing.

When she opened the sweater from Hermione, she immediately went over and hugged the young witch fiercely. "Oh, I love it," she murmured, tears still shining in her eyes as she slipped it on.

"I thought it would be nice if you matched the rest of the family," Hermione explained with a blush.

"It's just perfect," Molly replied, smiling at the girl.

Upon opening Harry's present, she gaped. "Oh dear, you shouldn't have! Honestly, you shouldn't have spent so much on me!"

"I wanted to. You've been so good to me all these years. I feel like I owe it to you," Harry replied, thinking of how much more he'd given than she knew thanks to Ginny's gift.

"You don't owe me anything, dear," she said and she was crying a bit now.

"Yes I do," Harry countered. "You've been the closest thing I've ever had to a mother. So let me thank you the only way I know how." Everyone laughed at that, and Molly wrapped him in a hug that made it all but impossible to breathe.

When Molly opened the present from Ginny, that really got her crying. "Ginny, why on earth would you get me a cauldron? You know I've already got one."

"Yeah, but the spell on it is starting to go," Ginny replied. "This one's brand new, so it should work properly, as it should. You've gone far too long with a cauldron that's too old." Here, she turned to Percy. "And don't worry. I checked the thickness of the cauldron and it's perfectly safe." Everyone laughed at this.

All in all, it was one of the most enjoyable nights of Harry's short life. It was his first normal Christmas, and it was excellent. He got to spend it with the people that mattered: the family that had adopted him; the family he'd created for himself. Even the evening with his cousin had been perfectly normal. All things considered, it was one of Harry's favorite memories, even years later.

And on Christmas morning, Harry awoke to a small little parcel that said it was from his aunt and uncle. It was decent-looking wrist watch. Mundane and simple, but appreciated just the same.


End file.
